Reconfigurable RF receiver using compact distributed switch matrix for array coils. Issue 3 (1st February 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lee, H.L.
• Is Part Of: Electronics letters. Volume 55:Issue 3(2019)
• Page Start: 137
• Page End: 138
• Publication Date: 2019-02-01
• Subjects: analogue‐digital conversion -- microwave switches -- biomedical MRI -- coils; magnetic flux density 9.4 tesla -- frequency 400.0 MHz -- single double pole double throw RF switches -- high‐flexible Rx front‐end design -- magnetic resonance signals -- independent receiver circuitry -- analogue‐to‐digital converter channels -- RF array coils -- reconfigurable RF receiver -- received MR signals -- unit matrix cells -- multichannel RF coil Rx -- compact distributed switch matrix structure -- ADC channels -- patient table -- precise MRI process; Electronics -- Periodicals; 621.381
• DOI: 10.1049/el.2018.6579
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0013-5194

Abstract

Abstract : Magnetic resonance (MR) signals captured by RF array coils should be delivered to analogue‐to‐digital converter (ADC) channels through an independent receiver (Rx) circuitry for precise MRI process. Since different types of RF coils should be utilised by a fixed port configuration on a patient table with a limited number of ADC channels, a highly flexible Rx front‐end design is necessary. In this Letter, a compact distributed switch matrix structure for multi‐channel RF coil Rx is proposed for supporting different types of array coils with small circuit size and sufficient reconfigurability. The proposed structure is configured by a multiple number of unit matrix cells consisting of a single double pole double throw and two single pole double throw RF switches to control the pathways of received MR signals. The proposed structure was implemented and verified at 9.4‐Tesla (9.4 T) MR frequency (400 MHz) by comparing different RF path losses.